Firing means for a model rocket

ABSTRACT

A firing means for launching a model rocket utilizing a solid state power means for supplying an electrical firing voltage and current to an ignitor circuit of the rocket, upon signal from a remote control switch.

[451 May 16, 1972 United States Patent Lurey [56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS [54] FIRING MEANS FOR A MODEL ROCKET 3,052,1859/1962 Apstein.................................102/702 3,211,096 10/1965Forneyeta1........................l02/70.2l

[72] Inventor: Daniel M. Lurey, Chicago, Ill.

[73] Assignee: Simpliway Products Co., Chicago, 111.

[22] Filed: Mar. 5, 1970 Primary Examiner-Samuel Feinberg [2]] App].No.:

AttorneyRobert L. Slater, Jr. and Jerome Goldberg ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl....102/70.2 R, 60/256, 317/80 F42b 5/08 .60/256; 102/702, 28; 317/79,

A firing means for launching a model rocket utilizing a solid 51 lm.[58] Field 0fSearch...............

state power means for supplying an electrical firing voltage and currentto an ignitor circuit of the rocket, upon signal from a remote controlswitch.

7 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures PITENTEDMAY 16 I872 FIG] R O T N E V NDANIEL M LUREY J ATT ORNEY g FIRING MEANS FOR A MODEL ROCKET BACKGROUNDOF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to model rockets andmore particularly relates to a battery powered firing means for thelaunching of a model rocket. More particularly, the invention relates toa firing circuit having a solid state power means for supplying ignitioncurrent for a model rocket.

In the past, the electrical firing voltage and current required forigniting a model rocket were controlled from a remote control switchlocated at one end of a cable. The opposite end of the cable wasconnected to the rocket ignitor circuit and a standard electricalbattery. Turning the switch on connected the battery directly to theignitor circuit of the rocket. Generally, in order to provide sufficientvoltage across the ignitor circuit, it was necessary that the cablelength not exceed feet. The subject invention, on the other hand,appreciably reduces the high current path between the battery and theignitor circuit and thereby enables the cable length between the remotecontrol switch and the ignitor circuit, to be substantially increased,without effecting the desired voltage across the ignitor circuit.Therefore, by utilizing the greater extended length of the cable, thepossibility of the explosion of the rocket fuel causing injury to theoperator of the remote control switch is substantially reduced, if notentirely eliminated. Moreover, by shortening the high current path, thefrequency of battery replacement may be reduced.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION The subject invention comprises a firing meansinterposed between a rocket ignitor circuit and a remote control switch.A cable having a substantial extended length is connected on one end tothe remote control switch and on the opposite end to the firing means.Upon switching the remote control switch to its on-position, a smallcurrent flows to the firing means through the cable, which in turncauses a substantially larger current to flow to the rocket ignitorcircuit through a substantially smaller current path. The larger currentis sufiicient to cause ignition of the fuel contained in the modelrocket which launches the rocket.

Accordingly, the primary object of the subject invention is to provide ashort path for the high electrical current required for firing therocket, thereby reducing electrical power losses.

Another object is to provide means for reducing the frequency ofelectrical battery replacement.

Another object is to provide a long current path for a small electricalcurrent to provide a power on signal from a remote point with respect tothe launch pad of the rocket, and a substantially shorter current pathfor a larger electrical current required for firing the rocket.

Still another object is to use a solid state static switch means forconnecting and disconnecting electrical voltage and cur rent to theignition of a model rocket upon signal from a remote control switch.

Still another object is to provide means for faster ignition of a modelrocket.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from theillustrations in the accompanying drawings and the followingspecifications and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings in which thesame characters of reference are employed to indicate corresponding orsimilar parts throughout the several figures of the drawings;

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a firing circuit for the ignitor of amodel rocket shown in phantom, embodying the principles of theinvention; and

FIG. 2 is an electrical schematic diagram of the firing circuit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the reference numeral 10indicates generally a control means for firing an ignitor means 11 of amodel rocket 12 (shown in phantom in FIG. 1). The control means 10comprises a firing circuit 14 controlled by a remote control switch 16.The control switch 16 is linked to the firing circuit 14 by a cable 18having a substantial extended length.

The firing circuit 14 comprises a static switch means such as atransistor 20, having a base 1, emitter 2 and a collector 3. Inoperation, transistor 20 has an on-condition and an off-condition. Thetransistor 20 is powered from a battery 22 having a positive terminal 23and a negative terminal 24. The cable 18 comprises leads 25, 26,connected respectively to the base 1 and collector 3 of the transistor20. The opposite end of lead 25 is connected to contact 28 of switch 16and the opposite end of lead 26 is connected to a terminal 30. A contact32 of switch 16 is connected to a terminal 34.

A resistor 36 is connected between the base 1 and the positive terminal23 of battery 22. The emitter 2 of transistor 20 is connected to aterminal 38. A terminal 40 is connected to the ignitor means 11 of therocket 12 via lead 41. The positive terminal 23 of the battery 22 isconnected to the ignitor means 11 via lead 41 The battery 22 as shown isexternal from the firing circuit 14. Leads 42,42 extend out from thefiring circuit 14 for removable connection onto the battery 22. Therocket ignitor means 11 is also external from the firing circuit 14.Leads 41,41 extend out from the firing circuit 14 for connection ontopoints or terminals of a nicron wire of the ignitor means 11. Alligatorclips or other suitable means for removable connections, may be used forconnecting leads 41,41 and leads 42,42 respectively to the ignitor means11 and battery 22.

An arming bar 43 pressfits into terminals 30 and 34 to link the switchcontact 32 of switch 16 with cable lead 26. Another arming bar 44pressfits into terminals 38 and 40 to link the ignitor means 11 with theemitter 2 of transistor 20. In operation, both arming bars 42 and 43must be pressfitted into place. If either bar is not in place the rocketwill not be ignited.

The remote control switch 16 has an on-position and an offposition(shown in FIG. 2). When remote control switch 16 is in the off-position,transistor 20 is biased off. When switch 16 is manually switched to itson-position, current flows through cable 18 to create a negative voltagebetween the transistor base and collector of sufficient magnitude tocause transistor 20 to switch from its off-condition to itson-condition. In the on-condition, ignitor current flows to the ignitormeans 11 through the small electrical path from the battery 22, thetransistor 20 and leads 41 and 41. This causes ignition of the rocketfuel and launching of the model rocket 12.

Although other transistor arrangements may be used, transistor 20 isshown in FIG. 2 as a PNP. The cable 18 may be a 26-gauge wire and alength exceeding 20 feet. For a number 26-gauge wire a cable length of200 feet or more may be used.

The foregoing specification and description are intended as illustrativeof the invention, the scope of which is defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A control means for a model rocket, said model rocket including anignitor for igniting the fuel to launch the rocket, said control meanscomprising:

a manual switch means having an on-position and an offposition;

a battery means having a first tenninal and a second terminal;

a transistor including a base, emitter and collector, said transistorhaving an on-state and an off-state, said transistor being in theon-state when said manual switch is in the on-position and in theoff-state when said manual switch is in the off-position;

a resistor means connected between one terminal of said battery and thebase of said transistor;

cable including a first wire and a second wire, said first wire beingconnected between said battery means and said manual switch and saidsecond wire being connected between said transistor and said manualswitch, so that a biasing voltage is applied across said resistor meanswhen said manual switch is on the on-position and thereby provide afirst current path for a first current to cause said transistor toswitch to the on-condition, and

connector means for connecting said transistor means with said ignitorsaid connector means and said ignitor and said transistor when in theon-state, providing a second current being substantially greater inmagnitude than the first current, said first current path beingsubstantially longer than said second current path, said second currentflowing to said ignitor when said transistor is in the on-state.

The control means of claim 1, includes:

removable arming bar connected between said cable and said manual switchmeans, whereby the removing of said arming bar prevents flow of saidfirst current.

The control means of claim 2 further includes:

second arming bar connected between the transistor and said secondconnecting means whereby the removing of said second arming bar preventsflow of said second current.

The control means of claim 1 includes means for disconnecting saidtransistor from said ignitor and means for disconnecting said batteryfrom the manual switch.

. The control means of claim 1 includes means for disconnecting saidbattery from the manual switch.

6. A control means for a model rocket, said model rocket including anignitor for igniting the fuel to launch the rocket, said control meanscomprising:

a manual switch having an on-position and an off-position;

an electrical power means;

a solid state switching means having an input and an output, saidswitching means having an on-state and an off-state, said switchingmeans being in said on-state and elf-state when said manual switch isrespectively in the on-position and off-position, said ignitor beingconnected to said output;

a cable connected between said switching means and said manual switch,said cable providing a first current path for a first current after themanual switch is switched to the on-position, to apply a voltage acrosssaid input and cause said switching means to switch into the on-state;and connector means for connecting the output of said switching meanswith said ignitor to provide a second current path for a second current,said first current path being substantially longer than said secondpath, said second current being greater than said first current, saidsecond current flowing to the ignitor when said switching means is inthe on-state.

7. The control means of claims 6, wherein said switching means comprisesa transistor having a base, emitter and collector, said transistor beingbiased on when the switch is in the on-position and biased off when theswitch is in the offposition.

1. A control means for a model rocket, said model rocket including anignitor for igniting the fuel to launch the rocket, said control meanscomprising: a manual switch means having an on-posItion and anoff-position; a battery means having a first terminal and a secondterminal; a transistor including a base, emitter and collector, saidtransistor having an on-state and an off-state, said transistor being inthe on-state when said manual switch is in the onposition and in theoff-state when said manual switch is in the off-position; a resistormeans connected between one terminal of said battery and the base ofsaid transistor; a cable including a first wire and a second wire, saidfirst wire being connected between said battery means and said manualswitch and said second wire being connected between said transistor andsaid manual switch, so that a biasing voltage is applied across saidresistor means when said manual switch is on the on-position and therebyprovide a first current path for a first current to cause saidtransistor to switch to the oncondition, and a connector means forconnecting said transistor means with said ignitor said connector meansand said ignitor and said transistor when in the on-state, providing asecond current being substantially greater in magnitude than the firstcurrent, said first current path being substantially longer than saidsecond current path, said second current flowing to said ignitor whensaid transistor is in the on-state.
 2. The control means of claim 1,includes: a removable arming bar connected between said cable and saidmanual switch means, whereby the removing of said arming bar preventsflow of said first current.
 3. The control means of claim 2 furtherincludes: a second arming bar connected between the transistor and saidsecond connecting means whereby the removing of said second arming barprevents flow of said second current.
 4. The control means of claim 1includes means for disconnecting said transistor from said ignitor andmeans for disconnecting said battery from the manual switch.
 5. Thecontrol means of claim 1 includes means for disconnecting said batteryfrom the manual switch.
 6. A control means for a model rocket, saidmodel rocket including an ignitor for igniting the fuel to launch therocket, said control means comprising: a manual switch having anon-position and an off-position; an electrical power means; a solidstate switching means having an input and an output, said switchingmeans having an on-state and an off-state, said switching means being insaid on-state and off-state when said manual switch is respectively inthe on-position and off-position, said ignitor being connected to saidoutput; a cable connected between said switching means and said manualswitch, said cable providing a first current path for a first currentafter the manual switch is switched to the on-position, to apply avoltage across said input and cause said switching means to switch intothe on-state; and a connector means for connecting the output of saidswitching means with said ignitor to provide a second current path for asecond current, said first current path being substantially longer thansaid second path, said second current being greater than said firstcurrent, said second current flowing to the ignitor when said switchingmeans is in the on-state.
 7. The control means of claims 6, wherein saidswitching means comprises a transistor having a base, emitter andcollector, said transistor being biased ''''on'''' when the switch is inthe on-position and biased ''''off'''' when the switch is in theoff-position.